Safety door-controlling means for elevator-shafts.



G. H. WOLFRAM.

SAFETY 000R CONTROLLING MEANS FOR ELEVATOR'SHAFTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9.19I5- 1,19 0 I 4 PatentedSept'. 19,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES A EEUEIQEU'I'TIYEXZSAEJCIJEFI'EIY], wmu ww I A 1m ATTORNEYS G. H. WOLFRAM.

SAFETY DOOR CONTROLLING MEANS FOR ELEVATOR SHAFTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-9, IBIS- 1 1 98, 806. Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR q zg 'fi f m,

ATTORNEYS G. H. WOLFRAM.

SAFETY DOOR (IQNTROLLING MEANS FOR ELEVATOR SHAFTS.

' APPLICATION HLED APR. 9. l9l5.

- 1,1 98,806. Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Etiug gal'fAzslilfrarq ATTORNEYS GEORGE E. WOLFRAM, OF NE'WARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HOWARD K. MORRIS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 19165.

Application filed April 9, 1915. Serial No. 20,169.

To all whom it m (13 concern Be it known that l, Gnonon H. VVoLrnAM, a citizen of the Jnited States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Door-Controlling Means for Elevator-Shafts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention relates generally, to improvements in safety dooncontrolling means for elevator shafts; and the invention has reference more particularly to a novel construction of automatic means for closing the entrance doors to elevator shafts upon movement of the elevator-car up or down the shaft.

The said invention has for its principal object to provide a novel construction of device for holding open a door giving entrance to the elevator-shaft when the elevator-car is stationary at the floor level at which such door is located, but which is automatically operated by the movement of the elevatorarr, either up or down, in leaving such floor level, to automatically release such door and permit the same to close under the actuation of any suitable closing means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in connection with said door-controlling means a cooperative means for locking the door when closed, against being opened from outside of the elevator-shaft, so that said door can only be opened from. inside of the elevator-car, when the latter reaches the floor-level at which such door is located.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the present invention.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel construction of doorcontrolling means for elevator-shafts hereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the con struction of the said parts, all of which will be more fully described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the claims which are appended to and which form an essential part of the said specification.

The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 1s a detail face view of the novel door-controlling means for elevator shafts, made according to and embodying the prinpermitted to move to its closed position,-

which latter door position is also illustrated by dotted lines. Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal section, taken on line 41 in said Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow 00. Fig. 5 is a similar vertical longitudinal section, drawn on an enlarged scale, and

illustrating the releasing position of said novel door-controlling means as actuated by the ascent of the elevator-car in the elevator shaft, said door beingshown in closed position, and said view showing furthermore, by dotted-lines, the cooperation of said doorcontrolling means with a locking element connected with the door, when the same has closed and the elevator-car has passed the floor level at which said door is located.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the inside of the door showing the said locking means, said view being taken on line 66 in said Fig.5, looking in the direction of the arrow y. Fig.

7 is a large detail vertical section of the entrance to and the door of an elevator-shaft equipped with the novel door-controlling means, the said door being of the swinging or hinged type, and being shown held in open position by said novel door-controlling means, and saidv-iew showing furthermore,

by dotted representation, the releasing position of said novel door-controlling means as operated by the ascending elevator-car whereby the door is permitted to move to its closed. position, which latter door-position is also illustrated by dotted lines.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views, to illustrate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference-character 1 indicates the interior of an elevator-shaft in which the elevatorcar 2 ascends and descends. The reference character 3 indicates the dividing wall or partition inclosing said elevator-shaft 1, the same having the entrance-opening l giving access to the elevator-car. The referencecharacter 5 indicates a floor at which said entrance-opening 4 is located, and 6 indicates a door of the sliding type for normally closing said entrance-opening 4.. Said door 6 is suspended by brackets 7 having suitable rollers or wheels 8, from a trackway 9, or the same may be mounted to slide across the entrance-opening i in any other suitable manner. The said door 6 is further arranged to be self-closing when released, either by inclining the trackway 9, so that gravity will cause the door to roll or slide to closing position, or by means of a pullweight 10, secured by the pull-cord 11 to the door. the latter traveling over an idlerpulley man as shown in Figs. 3, a and 5 of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated therein the detail-construction of my novel door-controlling means, the same comprising a suitable housing or casing 13 providing an interior chamber 1 1-, open at its under side or back. Extending outwardly from each end of said housing or casing 18 is a perforated ear or lug 15. Arranged within said chamber 14:, one adjacent to each end thereof, are a pair of rearwardly extending posts 16, preferably connected with said housing or casing 13 so as to form an integral part thereof. Each post is provided at its outer or free end with an inwardly extending internally threaded socket 17. The reference-character 18 indicates a back-plate which closes the chamber 14. The said back-plate 18 rests against or upon the ends of said posts 16, and fastening-screws 19 pass therethrough and screw into said internally threaded sockets 17 of said posts, whereby said back-plate is secured in place. Saidback-plate is provided with a centrally disposed shank or journal-arm 20, which extends forwardly through said chamber 14, and projects through an enlarged opening 21 formed in the face of said housing or casing 13, so that its free end projects exteriorly of the outer face of said housing or casing 13. Journaled upon the outwardly projecting end of said shank or journal-arm 20 is an oscillating member 22 providing a pair of oppositely extending arms 23 and 24.. Suitable means may be provided to retain said oscillating member 22 against accidental removal from said journal-arm or shank 20, such for example as a nut and washer 25 adapted to be screwed upon the free end of said shank or journal-arm 20. The normal position of said oscillating member 22 is transversely of the longitudinal extent of said housing or casing 13 and at right angles thereto. Such position is normally maintained, and said oscillating member 22 is automatically returned to such position after operation, by the following means: Connected with said oscillating member 22, and adjacent to one side edge of the same, is an inwardly projecting anchor-stud 26, which extends through said opening 21 of the housing or casing 13 into the chamber 1st of the latter. wardly projecting end of said anchor-stud 26 is one end of a pull-spring 27, the opposite end of which is anchored upon one of said posts 16. .lonnected with said oscillat-ing member 22, and adjacent to the opposite side edge of the same, is another inwardly projecting anchor-stud 28, which also extends through said opening 21 of the housing or casing 13. Connected with the inwardly projecting end of said anchor-stud 28 is one end of a pull-spring 29, the opposite end of which is anchored upon the other of said posts 16. The said anchor-studs 26 and 28 being alined one with the other, and connected with opposite sides of the body of said transversely extending oscillating member 22, it follows that the pull of the respective pull-springs 27 and 29 will maintain the same in such transverse position, and that any turning or oscillation of the 0scillating member and its opposite arms from such transverse position will distend said pull-springs 27 and 2 9 and increase the tension of the same, so that the pull of said pull-springs will tend to return said oscillating member to initial position after the Connected with the inof which is more particularly illustrated by the respective dotted oscillated positions of said oscillating member, shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. Referring now, more particularly, to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the above described doorcontrolling means applied or secured in the entrance-opening 4 of the elevator-shaft 1 in operative relation to the elevator-car 2 and the door 6. Said housing or casing 13 is secured in a vertically extending or perpendicular position to the dividing wall or partition 8 at one side of said entrance-opening 4, by inserting through the perforated ears or lugs 15 lag-screws or bolts 30 which screw into the wall or partition 3. When secured in this position, the oscillating member 22 extends transversely through said entrance-opening 4, so that the arm 23 thereof projects slightly into the elevator-shaft 1, and the opposite arm 24 projects outwardly beyond the said entrance-opening.

When the elevator-car 2 stands stationary at the floor 5 and the door 6 is open, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the arm 24 of the oscillating member 22 rojects across the forward edge of the door 6 and across the path of its sliding movement, thus normally holding the door open, and retained against any closing movement, while the arm 23 of the oscillating member 22 projects slightly into the elevator-car 2.

o \Vhen the elevator-car 2 starts its descent from the floor 5, the roof 31, or other portion of the elevator-car 2, is carried into contact with the arm 23, bearing the same downward, and oscillating or turning the oscillating member 22 upon the shank or journal-arm 20, with the effect of auto matically swinging or turning upward the arm 24 out of the path of movement of said sliding door 6, so that the same may quickly and automatically move or slide to its closed position, under the influence of the pull-weight 10, or other suitable closing means. All of said operations are illus trated by the dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

lVhen the elevatorcar 2 starts its ascent from the floor 5, the floor 32, or other por tion of the elevator-car 2, is carried into contact with the arm 23, bearing the same upward, and oscillating or turning the oscillating member 22 upon the shank or jour nal-arm 20, with the effect of automatically swinging or turning downward the arm 24 out of the path of movement of said sliding door 6, so that the same may quickly and automatically move or slide to its closed position, under the influence of the pull-weight 10, or other suitable closing means. All of said operations are illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In the drawings, I have shown the elevator-car 2 equipped with contact-strips or members 33. located at one side of the car, and projecting respectively downward and upward from the roof and floor of the car. These contact-strips or members 33 are lo cated in the path of said arm 23 of the oscillatingmember 22, and engage the same earlier in the elevator-cars movement than 5 would the roof or floor of the car, and furthermore provide a longer contact with the arm 23, whereby the oscillated or turned position of the oscillating member 22 and the opposite arm 24 is longer maintained, thus not only making for the earlier closing of the door 6, but also maintaining the arm 24 out of contact with the door while closing and until fully closed, thereby preventing the arm 24 from scraping along the inside 5 of the moving door. After the elevator-car 2 has passed out of contact with the arm 23, the influence of the respective pull-springs 27 and 29 upon the oscillating member 22 will tend to return the latter to normal transverse position again, and as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the door 6 may be provided on its inner side with a properly located lock-plate 34 provided with a receivingsocket or pocket 35, into which the free end of the arm 24 projects, when the oscillating member 22 returns to normal transverse position and the door 6 has moved to its closed position, thus locking said door against being opened except from within the elevator-shaft 1, when the car 2 is moved opposite thereto.

It will be apparent that the elevator-ear 2 may ascend and descend the shaft 1, passing the oscillating members 22, which will immediately resume their locking relation to the door when returned by their actuating springs to transverse position after the car passes.

When the elevator-car 2 is brought to rest at the floor 5, the operator within the same may easily release the door 6 from locked position and slide the same back to open position, by oscillating or turning the oscillating member to lift or remove the arm 24 from the receiving socket or pocket 35 of the lock-plate 34, and thus it will be apparent that the door 6 can only be opened from inside the elevator shaft and car.

Referring now to Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the novel door-controlling device in operative relation to a swinging or hinged door associated with and adapted to close the entrance-opening 4 to the elevator-shaft. In place of the sliding door 6, in this case, there is provided a swinging door 36 connected by hinges 37 to the frame of the entrance-opening 4. This door 36 may be provided with a closing spring 38, or any other suitable means for closing the same automatically when the door is released, and said door 36 may be also provided with a suitable inside hand-opera'ted latch device 39, for locking the same from inside of the shaft when closed. When the elevatoncar 2 stands stationary at the floor 5, and the door 36' stands open, as shown, the arm 24 of the oscillating member 22 projects outwardly across the face of the door in the path of its swinging movement, thus normally holding the door open, and retained a 'ainst any closing movement, while the arm 23 of the oscillating member 22 pro ects slightly 1nto the elevator-car 2. As Wlll be apparent, and as already above described,

ence of its spring 38, or any other suitable closing means. In this case, however, the door 36, when closed and latched from inside the shaft 1, bears against the arm 24: and holds the same to its oscillated position until the door is opened, and therefore also holds the arm 28 out of the shaft 1 and unaffected by the passing of the upwardly or downwardly moving elevator, unless the door 36 stands open.

It will be apparent from the above description that my present invention provides a safety door-controlling device which automatically assures the closing of the entrance to the elevator-shaft upon any move ment of the car in either direction from said entrance, thus guarding surely against accidents to life and limb due to open or but partially closed doors at the entrances to the elevator-shaft, and substituting a dependable automatic mechanical device of sure and certain operation in place of the human fallibility of the elevator operator.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and com binations of the various devices and parts of my novel door-controlling means, as well as in the details of the construction of the said parts, without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the foregoing specification, and as defined in the claims which are appended thereto. Hence, I do not limit myself to the exact arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts as described in the said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim 1. A safety door-controlling device for the purposes described comprising a stationary casing providing an interior chamber, the face of said casing having an opening communicating with the interior chamber thereof, a back-plate connected with said casing, a forwardly extending journal-arm extending from said back-plate outwardly through said opening, a normally transversely extending oscillating member having oppositely projecting arms journaled on the exterior end of said journal-arm, means for retaining said oscillating member against removal from said journal-arm, and means within said casing-chamber and con nected with said oscillating member for maintaining the same in and returning the same to normal transverse position after actuation.

2. A safety door-controlling device for the purposes described comprising a stationary casing providing an interior chamber, the face of said casing having an opening communicating with the interior chamber thereof, a back-plate connected with said casing, a forwardly extending journal-arm extending from said back-plate outwardly through said opening, a normally transversely extending oscillating member hav ing oppositely projecting arms j ournaled on the exterior end of said ournal-arm, means forretaining said oscillating member against removal from said journal-arm, post lo cated at each end of the interior chamber of said casing, a pull-spring connected by one end with each post, and means for connecting the opposite end of each pull-spring with said oscillating member for the purposes described.

3. A safety door-controlling device for the purposes described comprising a stationary casing providing an interior chamber, the face of said casing having an opening communicating with the interior chamber thereof, a back-plate connected w th said casing, a forwardly extending journal-arm extending from said back-plate outwardly through said opening, a normally transversel extendim oscillatin member havin 3 ED :3

oppositely projecting arms journaled on the exterior end of said ournal-arm, means for retaining said oscillating member against cated at each end of the interior chamber of said casing, a pull-spring connected by one end with each post, and anchor-studs projecting from the under side of said oscillat 'ing member through said opening in the face of said casing into said interior chamber, said anchor-studs being located adjacent to each side marginal edge of said oscillating member and on opposite sides of said journal-arm, the respective opposite ends of said pull-springs being connected with said respective anchor-studs for the purposes described.

- In testimony that I claim the invention set Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of .Patents, Washington, D. G. 

